Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses, 1976–2014

April 29, 2016

Since the mid-1970s, BLS has published data on different types of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses. The data distinguish between cases in which the worker missed at least 1 day of work, those that require job restriction or transfer only, and those resulting in neither days away from work nor days of job restriction or transfer (other). The rate of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses—the number of cases per 100 full-time workers—has declined over the past several decades in the private sector. In 1976, the rate was 9.2 cases per 100 full-time workers; by 2014, that figure had fallen to 3.2 cases per 100 full-time workers.

Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers, by type of case, private industry, 1976–2014

Year

Total recordable cases

Days away from work, job transfer, or restriction cases

Days away from work cases

Job transfer or restricted work only cases

Other cases

1976

9.2

3.5

3.3

0.2

5.7

1977

9.3

3.8

3.6

0.2

5.5

1978

9.4

4.1

3.8

0.3

5.3

1979

9.5

4.3

4.0

0.3

5.2

1980

8.7

4.0

3.7

0.3

4.7

1981

8.3

3.8

3.5

0.3

4.5

1982

7.7

3.5

3.2

0.3

4.2

1983

7.6

3.4

3.2

0.2

4.2

1984

8.0

3.7

3.4

0.3

4.3

1985

7.9

3.6

3.3

0.3

4.3

1986

7.9

3.6

3.3

0.3

4.3

1987

8.3

3.8

3.4

0.4

4.4

1988

8.6

4.0

3.5

0.5

4.6

1989

8.6

4.0

3.4

0.6

4.6

1990

8.8

4.1

3.4

0.7

4.7

1991

8.4

3.9

3.2

0.7

4.5

1992

8.9

3.9

3.0

0.9

5.0

1993

8.5

3.8

2.9

0.9

4.8

1994

8.4

3.8

2.8

1.0

4.6

1995

8.1

3.6

2.5

1.1

4.4

1996

7.4

3.4

2.2

1.2

4.1

1997

7.1

3.3

2.1

1.2

3.8

1998

6.7

3.1

2.0

1.1

3.5

1999

6.3

3.0

1.9

1.1

3.3

2000

6.1

3.0

1.8

1.2

3.2

2001

5.7

2.8

1.7

1.1

2.9

2002

5.3

2.8

1.6

1.2

2.5

2003

5.0

2.6

1.5

1.1

2.4

2004

4.8

2.5

1.4

1.1

2.3

2005

4.6

2.4

1.4

1.0

2.2

2006

4.4

2.3

1.3

1.0

2.1

2007

4.2

2.1

1.2

0.9

2.1

2008

3.9

2.0

1.1

0.9

1.9

2009

3.6

1.8

1.1

0.8

1.8

2010

3.5

1.8

1.1

0.8

1.7

2011

3.4

1.8

1.0

0.7

1.7

2012

3.4

1.8

1.0

0.7

1.6

2013

3.3

1.7

1.0

0.7

1.6

2014

3.2

1.7

1.0

0.7

1.5

In 1992, BLS began publishing more detailed data on cases involving days away from work. In 1992, days away from work cases accounted for 79 percent of all cases involving days away from work, job transfer, or restriction in the private sector, while the less serious cases involving only job transfer or restriction accounted for 21 percent; by 2014, the corresponding percentages were 58 percent and 42 percent. In 2011, BLS began an ongoing pilot special study to publish the details on cases involving job transfer or restriction only in selected industries.